RTWed, 13 Apr 2022 19:54 UTC
© RIA/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
The timing of the military offensive in Ukraine is determined by the intensity of hostilities and Russia will act according to its plan, President Vladimir Putin explained on Tuesday, during a joint press conference with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.
"I often get these questions, 'can't we hurry it up?' We can. But it depends on the intensity of hostilities and, any way you put it, the intensity of hostilities is directly related to casualties," said the Russian president.He added that "our task is to achieve the set goals while minimizing these losses. We will act rhythmically, calmly, and according to the plan that was initially proposed by the General Staff."Putin reiterated that Russia's actions in several regions of Ukraine were intended only to tie down enemy forces and carry out missile strikes with the purpose of destroying the Ukrainian military's infrastructure, so as to "create conditions for more active operations on the territory of Donbass."
While thanking the Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine for their "heroic service to their homeland," and for protecting Russia's interests, Putin stated that "a confrontation with the forces that were being brought up by the West in Ukraine, a confrontation with radical nationalists and neo-Nazis in Ukraine, was inevitable" and that it was only a matter of time."They were preparing and waiting for their hour. And, as I've said, we aren't going to let them do that. That's the logic of our actions," the Russian president explained, adding that seeing Ukrainian soldiers wearing SS Galicia patches -a division of the Nazi forces that were responsible for numerous slaughters of Russian, Jewish, Ukrainian and Polish civilians during WWII)- in Donbass only further proves that "the timing of Russia's operation was correct, or else there would've been even more of them."Putin also recalled what he had stated in his initial message on the morning of February 24 when Russian forces crossed the borders of Ukraine: "Our goal is to provide aid to the people of Donbass, who feel an unbreakable bond with Russia and have been the subjects of genocide for eight years."
"That's the way it is. The operation is going according to plan." the Russian president proclaimed.Moscow attacked the neighboring state in late February, following Ukraine's failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements signed in 2014, and Russia's eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. The German- and French-brokered Minsk Protocol was designed to give the breakaway regions special status within the Ukrainian state.
Russia has since demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two republics by force.
Reader Comments
Putin has a hard and fast line, the USA and its pathetic entourage best observe this.
Missile defeat of the cruiser "Moscow" opens a new stage of hostilities in Ukraine
The priority direction of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the support of NATO is the South of Ukraine in the direction of Crimea and Donbass
The situation around the attack on the cruiser "Moscow" has two dimensions:
military–technical and public–media.
The military–technical part of this situation was described most fully ([Link] ) the author of the Atomic Cherry channel, I recommend reading, a bright and deep mind that rarely makes mistakes in estimates.
I can add to the above only the unpreparedness of the Russian fleet for the active actions of the AFU, which lies in the weak intelligence and analytical capabilities of the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet and the Navy of Russia.
After 50 days of the operation, from which half of the time we observe the increasing scale and pace of enemy activity, there is no reflection.
Once again, we are faced with a critical underestimation of the capabilities of the APU.
The cruiser had no cover and acted alone, which is already quite a dangerous occupation.
So far, everything suggests that the ship was hit during a combined attack involving a UAV and the Ukrainian Neptune missile defense system with direct support from NATO (primarily in reconnaissance and targeting).
It is difficult to say what chances the ship had without cover with outdated radar and air defense in such conditions.
In the general picture of what happened , two points are of interest:
1. Did NATO reconnaissance aircraft take part ([Link] )in the continuous illumination of the target, or only gave the exact coordinates.
The first option already speaks of the direct participation of the British Air Force in a military operation against the missile cruiser "Moscow".
2. Whether the Turkish Bayraktar UAVs were used in the attack on the ship. It may also dramatically lower the degree of Turkey's relations with Russia.
Once again, we have received a painful lesson in competent and clear planning of the operation, unified and effective management of forces and means, which is critically lacking in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
The media and public reflection is extremely surprising.
The media are trying to explain Ukraine's success with some kind of NATO miracle weapon, missiles that were able to magically hit the ship.
This cargo cult, the magical perception of war, takes society even further away from reality.
Russia has suffered a serious symbolic and military defeat.
And if the loss of the first large ship (BDK, in Berdyansk) could be written off as an accident, then the loss of the second is already a pattern that speaks of a dangerous underestimation of the enemy.
What conclusions and forecasts can we come to at the moment:
1. The naval blockade of Ukrainian ports is under threat. The Black Sea Fleet, due to its small size, cannot continue to lose (surface) ships.
We need to look for other means to keep the coast and Ukrainian ports under control.
2. Attacks on the Black Sea Fleet will continue, primarily by the forces of the NSM PKR, whose range (up to 200 km) allows hitting ships of the Black Sea Fleet almost throughout the Black Sea, including the coast of Crimea.
The Black Sea Fleet will be squeezed out of the Black Sea to the coast of the peninsula.
3. The main direction of the APU offensive is the South of Ukraine – Kherson and Mykolaiv region.
Britain has repeatedly made it clear that the Black Sea ports of Ukraine, primarily Odessa, have strategic value for them.
Donbass is also being strengthened as an instrument of depletion of Russian and allied forces. The AFU grouping, which has been strengthening for seven years, is far from exhaustion.
4. The second center of forces is the Dnipropetrovsk region, as the political center of the South, which connects all the surrounding regions.
5. Crimea becomes a priority target of the AFU and NATO operations. This confirms the Pentagon's "bold" statement that the United States will provide Kiev with intelligence information on targets in the Crimea and Donbas.
Not only the Black Sea Fleet will be hit, but also the objects and forces of the Crimean ground group.
It is critically important for the AFU to paralyze the logistics and replenishment of the "southern" grouping of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation operating from Kherson. @genshab